The Importance of being Black
by lilyrosebud
Summary: Kimberly Shannon spent more than a decade believing that Sirius Black betrayed her best friends. She ran away from everything and turned to life of promiscuity and drugs. Now he's escaped Azkaban and he is after her. Will they get together again? Or will her thirst for revenge prevail? Love, lust, war, drugs and betrayal. SB/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Sirius?" Remus called as he entered the lobby of Grimauld place number 12. The lobby was grim and dusty, with heavily curtained windows that were blocking the daylight. The floor was dirty and the ceiling was covered in huge cobwebs. It looked like that house hasn't been cleaned in years.

He glanced at the curtain-covered portrait of mrs. Black that was still hanging on the wall and thanked heavens that it didn't wake up.

Deciding not to touch anything, just in case, he slowly climbed the stairs to the second floor. Careful not to make unnecessary noise, he knocked lightly on the door to Sirius' bedroom.

No answer. Remus touched the door knob and entered the room.

It was empty. Remus shivered as he glanced at the wall above Sirius' bed. It was covered with photos of nude muggle girls and motorcycles. An eerie reminder of Sirius' rebellious youth. While they were still in Hogwarts. While they were still young and carefree. Well, he doubted Sirius was ever truly carefree. Even then he seemed like he had a lot on his mind.

He couldn't help but smile a little at the photos. His friend sure knew how to piss off his pureblood family. Remus sighed and decided to sit down and wait for Sirius. He didn't want to roam the house alone. He knew that it was full of dark magic. Sirius will show up eventually, he thought to himself. After all, he couldn't leave the house. He was still hiding from the Ministry.

Just as he was about to relax in the soft red armchair, the only attractive looking piece of furniture in the room, he heard a loud garggling noise coming from the bathroom.

Drawing his wand from his cloak pocket, he swung the door open and cursed loudly.

Sirius was lying in the tub, naked, with a bottle of Firewhiskey next to him, his head submerged under water. He seemed either unconscious or drunk out of his body. Remus grabbed him by his hair and sat him up.

"Piss off, will you?" Sirius slurred, his eyes still closed, and his fists narrowly missing Remus.

Remus was barely able to pull his uncooperating friend out of the tub. He was now lying on his stomach, spread-eagled as Remus gritted his teeth and fought a strange urge to kick him.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Remus spat out angrily, throwing a towel at his friend.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I was trying to top myself." Sirius mumbled incoherently.

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his sandy blond hair. This is going to be a long day, he thought.

**Author's note:**

**Hello everyone. This is my first story after a very very long writer's block (5 years, yikes!) and I'd like to apologize if my writing's a bit... Clumsy. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Kimberly Shannon stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a soft towel around her lean body and looked in the mirror. Time has really taken it's toll, she thought as she traced little fine lines on her face. They were few, but still visible. Her long dark hair hair framed her oval face nicely, and after a couple of seconds of staring at her reflection critically, she decided that she was still good-looking. Well, not as good-looking as she was 15 years ago. But then again, nothing was like it used to be 15 years ago.

Everything fell apart that day Lily and James were killed, she thought as she put on a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt. Not only did she lose two of her best friends, but she also lost a man she was supposed to marry. It's funny how one day you choose a perfect wedding dress, and the next your fiance is being locked away in Azkaban without trial.

She picked up a cigarette pack from her nightstand and threw herself on the bed.

Feeling her eyes water with memories, she lit up a cigarette and inhaled the smoke.

She would never forget the day she met him.

_**July 10th, 1976**_

_She nodded her head in the rythm of the music and took a drag from her cigarette. Her small hand was clutching a beer bottle as she watched her best friend leave with a guy she just met. He was wearing a leather jacket. Who wears a leather jacket in this heat? She rolled her eyes as she saw him grab Rachel's arse._

_The park was packed with crowd, after all, this festival was one of the biggest events this year, and she and her best friend Rachel came here to see one of their favourite bands, Deep Purple, and needless to say she was really disappointed when Rachel left with that guy. He wasn't that handsome either, she snorted. Looking around, she noticed that people were passing joints and something that looked like sangria, and she nodded her head as a curly-haired girl offered a joint. She never smoked weed before, and seeing all those people enjoying themselves made her want to try it. The sharp herbal smoke made her pleasently dizzy and numb._

_The moment she took the third puff from the hand-rolled cigarette, she knew it was a bad idea. Her head started spinning and her legs shaking. Her heart started beating manically and her stomach sommersaulted as she lost consciousness and tumbled on the grass._

_"Are you okay?" A male voice asked as she opened her eyes and sat up. Her summer dress was wet from beer she spilled on and she frowned. This isn't going to be a good day. The guy standing over her seemed worried and she eyed him carefully. He had deep grey eyes, neck-long black hair, and he was wearing a pair of jeans and a Deep Purple t-shirt._

_"Yeah, I'm fine. How long was I out?" She asked, as she gratefully accepted a water flask he was offering. Her head was still spinning, but she wasn't certain if it was from the cannabis or the handsome boy before her._

_"Not for long. You never smoked weed before, right?" He smiled._

_"Well... No." Everyone here smoked and she felt embarassed already as it was. She blushed slightly and took a swig from the flask. The cold water felt good and she emptied the entire flask, feeling better instantly. _

_"My name is Sirius." He extended his hand and she shook it. _

_"I'm Kim. Are you here with your friends?" _

_"Actually, no. My friends don't like this kind of music. Care for another beer? I see you had a little accident." He pointed at the wet beer spot on her dress and pulled out two cans of beer from behind his back. Kim wasn't really sure where he pulled them from, but then again, it didn't matter._

_"Thanks. " She blushed again. He seemed really nice and he wasn't bad looking either. _

_"What about you? Are you here with your friends?" He took a sip from his beer can._

_"I came here with my friend but she kind of ditched me."_

_She got up and dusted herself off, unaware of Sirius' gaze._

_"Well since we're both here on our own... Would you do me the honor of spending the day with me?" He stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled._

_She thought for a minute, eyeing him critically. She wasn't used to spending time with strangers, but something about him felt... Right. His features were aristocratic, almost snotty, but his eyes were warm and kind. She made a decision quickly and grinned at him._

_"Okay. How old are you?"_

_"16. You?"_

_"I'm 16 too. We shouldn't be drininking." She snickered as he finished his beer and fished out a pack of cigarettes from his jeans._

_"Or smoking." He grinned and lit up a cigarette._

_They spent the entire afternoon talking. She told him about her family and Rachel, friends and a new school she was starting this year. He told her about his friends, mostly about James and his parents who adopted him last year. However, he didn't want to talk about his biological family. Every time she tried to mention them he flinched painfully and changed the subject so she just decided to let it go._

_By the time Deep Purple came on, they were best friends. His arm was casually draped over her shoulder and she giggled as she leaned into him. They listened to the band perform, enjoying the sound of Gillan's voice and Blackmore's guitar. _

_"I don't want this to end." She whispered into his ear as the band started playing Hush. He gazed into her eyes._

_"Me neither." His face came closer and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. His trembling fingers caressed her face as they stared into each other's souls. _

_A wave of electricity shot through her body as she leaned in and kissed him. His lips were soft and she felt his hand on the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues wrestled for dominance passionately and when they finally broke away, she was feeling a bit lightheaded. _

Kim wiped away the tears and sat up. Memories of Sirius were too painful. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

"Meet me in half an hour. Old place."

She hung up, lit another cigarette and left her motel room.

**Author's note:** First of all, I would like to thank Noc007 for the review- I'm glad you understand me (writer's block is one of the scariest

things ever!) and I hope you'll like where this is going. Second, this story is unbeta-d so just ignore the mistakes.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kimberly concentrated as she heated the spoon with her lighter. She scored quickly this time. It took her only 30 minutes from meeting the man to getting the gear. Her tongue was sticking out of her mouth as she clutched the spoon, careful not to spill any of it's contents. When the brown powder mixed with water and lemon juice became a dark liquid, she lowered the spoon and pulled out a capped syringe from her pocket. As she drew the hot liquid inside, she sighed. It was a fucking long day. But now it's going to get better, she thought as she tapped on the syringe.

Her head spun as she was lying on the floor, feeling the drug go into her brain. All that she could see before her eyes was his face, and she wondered if she made mistake giving up magic and living like a Muggle. Not an ordinary Muggle, but a sad, depressed, drug-craving, self-destroying little bitch. Her fingers found a pack of cigarettes in her jeans pocket and she lit one up, inhaling the smoke greedily.

Familiar warmth crept up her body as she remembered that fateful day when she threw her wand into the river Thames and traded her Galleons for the Muggle money. She just found out Sirius was a murderer. That he betrayed James and Lily, and killed Peter as well as 12 Muggles. Oh how her head was pounding that day. It was the worst headache she ever had.

The man she loved more than anything in the world was serving the Dark Lord all along. She wondered when exactly he became a Death Eater, because she saw no signs. She was probably too infatuated with him to notice anyway. Too busy with wedding planning to see that her husband to be is a psychopatic mass killer, she chuckled.

The facts were clear, though. All that was left of Pettigrew was a finger and Sirius was chucked into Azkaban without trial. She couldn't really cry when it happened. So she just stared in the distance when Remus wrapped his arms around her and told her everything's going to be alright.

Standing on that bridge that day, she considered hurling herself in the river but something changed her mind. Her life was over already, but a hidden part of her hoped that the bastard would escape, just so she could kill him for what he did. Through the years, her hope diminished, and was replaced with emptiness only drugs and alcohol could fill. And she met a guy who introduced her to heroin. The feeling was amazing. Almost... Magical. She managed to consume it weekly for years without getting addicted. She liked to think that it was because of magic in her blood.

Her magic never really disappeared, though. It was still there when she got angry or sad. Books would levitate around her when she was depressed, and glasses would fly off the counters and smash on the floor when she was really pissed off.

And now, there was something suspicious happening in the magical world. She rolled on her side and put out a cigarette.

Sirius Black was alive, she felt that deep inside. And she was pretty sure she heard people mentioning his name. It happened a couple of times. On the subway, in the supermarket. And each time when she turned around, she only saw what seemed to be Muggle people chattering away about their days.

Puffing on the cigarette, she made a decision. As soon as the heroin lets go and she's able to get up, she will go to Diagon Alley and look around a little bit. Pretend that she's one of them squibs. With a little luck, no one will recognize her. And even if somebody did, she didn't care.

Her legs were still wobbly but she managed to pick herself up from the floor. Cleaning up the mess she made, she dragged herself to the kitchen for a glass of water.

As she downed it, her eyes fell on a stack of letters on her mat.

She almost choked.

There, on the front page of Muggle newspaper, was him. Pale, filthy, old, but still Sirius Black.

Coughing up the water that found it's way to her windpipe, she picked up the newspaper with trembling hands.

...

„Why did you try to do it?" They were sitting in the Black library. Remus was sipping on a cup of tea, and Sirius was nursing a Sober-Up potion. He was staring into the fireplace grimly.

„I saw her, you know." Sirius uttered, his eyes not leaving the fire. He was now completely dressed and dry, but his mood wasn't any brighter.

„You left the house? Are you fucking crazy? Do you want to go back to Azkaban?" Remus snapped at him. His friend was really reckless at the times, and the last thing the Order needed was to lose another valued member, no matter how worthless he considered himself.

„Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was out as Padfoot. They don't know I'm an Animagus." He replied darkly.

„ I saw Kim in the market. She was buying drugs." He downed his potion and lit up a cigarette. His features lightened when he talked about her, and he stared into the distance dreamily.

Remus flinched when he mentioned her name. Impossible. He received a letter from Moody shortly after Sirius was incarcerated. The letter stated that she was missing after single-handedly dueling Dolohov and Avery. Presumed dead. The news crushed him. And for all these years, he mourned her. Flowers he brought to Godric's Hollow for Lily and James became flowers for Kim and Peter as well, since they had no graves.

And now he tells him this. That she might be alive. But there was a possibility that Sirius imagined it, he reminded himself. He was quite keen on Firewhiskey these days, and maybe he just had a bit too much before he went for one of his walks.

Oh, and his walks. As if Remus didn't know about them. He followed him a couple of times, but when he realized that all Padfoot was doing was stretching his legs, he decided not to say a word. As long as he went as Padfoot, he was safe.

„Are you sure it was her?" He glanced at him carefully. Sirius' face seemed to darken even more and he sighed.

„I'm positive. She hasn't changed a bit all these years. And I followed her to her house. She seemed pretty eager to consume whatever she bought from that dealer. And if my snout wasn't fooling me, it was heroin." He squeezed the glass in his hand before throwing it in the fireplace. It let out a small crackling sound before exploding into thousand pieces.

„I think we should go talk to her." Remus waved his wand at the fireplace and the glass shards disappeared.

„No. I should go talk to her. You stay here, my friend. I know all about your little infatuation with my girlfriend." Sirius got up and patted Remus on the shoulder. Before Remus could utter a word in his defense, Sirius left the room.

Remus sighed. This was going to be difficult.

...

Now that she found out that he was out of Azkaban, she was not going anywhere. What if he wanted to kill her just like he did to her friends? For God's sake, they were his friends too! Her mind raced as she read the article for what seemed to be 20th time in 5 minutes.

„_Sirius Black, notorious murderer of 13, is still on the run. He is considered armed and very dangerous. If you have any information, dial the Police immediately."_

And there was picture of him. His skin was yellowish, her hair was long and filthy, his eyes lost the mischievous spark and he was stick-thin. But still, it was no doubt that it was him.

How the hell she didn't notice this before? She never usually read newspaper. In fact, she didn't even have a subscription to it. Then how did they found their way through her post slot? Realization hit her hard. He followed her. He wanted her to know that he was out. It was probably one of his psychopathic little games. Scaring his prey before he attacks.

First, she had to get her wand back. Well, that was impossible, she decided. She had to get a new one, and she knew exactly where to get it. Since he escaped, he probably doesn't have his wand either. That would give her some advantage. Of course, she'll get a wand after she exchanges her Muggle money. And suddenly she felt like the Muggle clothes she was wearing were kind of inappropriate. Madam Malkin's it is, then. Oh, and she should also buy a couple of ingredients for potions, just in case.

And after she was done getting ready, she's gonna find him and kill him. Before he kills her.

A thought crossed her mind and she grimaced. Could she Apparate to Diagon Alley? Since she was still a registered witch, there was probably no reason why she couldn't. But did she still remember how to do it?

She grabbed her purse, closed her eyes and concentrated. A familiar feeling of nausea crept up her body and she felt like she was being pulled by a hook just above her navel. Next thing she knew she was emptying the contents of her stomach into a potted plant. Feeling dizzy and disoriented, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked around.

She was standing in front of the Gringotts, attracting a lot of curious looks from the Wizard folk. She smiled self-consciously and stumbled in the Gringotts bank, unaware that she was being followed by a pair of big, black eyes.

**Author's Note: I'm sorry you had to wait so long for the update, but I'm a mom (my son is 1 year old) so hopefully you'll understand that I really couldn't find the time or inspiration to write another chapter. I'm on a roll now, though, so you can expect a new one soon.**

**Did you enjoy this chapter? What do you think is going to happen next?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Kimberly sat in front of Fortescue's ice cream shop, eating a banana split and feeling like a new person. She was done with her shopping for the day but didn't really feel like going home. It's not like Sirius would come around here anyway, being the most wanted wizard in the whole Britain, she thought. Putting her mind at ease, she concluded that she was actually more safe here than in her own flat, so she decided to relax a little.

Mr. Ollivander recognized her, she remembered, by the wand that chose her. Dragon heart string, rosewood, and swishy. Everyone in her family had a dragonstring wand, he remarked. The wand was similar to her old one and she took a liking to it immediately. It radieated heat into her palm and she felt like she was reunited with a long lost friend. Curiously enough, Ollivander didn't enquire what hapenned to her old wand. After leaving with the wand safely tucked in her purse, she paid a visit to Madam Malkin's and took her time trying on clothes, and finally settled on a pair of fancy purple robes that made her look like royalty. Well, she was already royalty, she reminded herself. Shannon family was one of the most famous old pureblooded families in Ireland, but they soon bred all over Britain. Kim didn't really believe in blood purity, just like Sirius, and they were considered „blood traitors" by Malfoys and Lestranges. Not that she really gave a flying fuck what Bellatrix and Narcissa thought about her.

After she was done with her shopping, she stopped by for ice cream, and she had to admit that she was feeling quite good. Even though nobody recognized her, Diagon Alley felt strangely like home. It was familiar and somehow... Safe.

So naturally, she felt quite taken when a pair of arms wrapped around her and Apparated away. Kicking and screaming, she tried to tackle her captor, but to no avail. He was two times stronger than her and the only thing she managed was to bite into his palm, causing him to yelp in pain, when they landed in the lobby of Grimmauld Place number 12.

The heel of her shoe found it's way into his unsuspecting foot, and he toppled over in what seemed to be excruciating pain.

Seizing the moment, she picked up the first thing that came under her hands, a bust of late Phineas Nigellus, and with a loud thud, released it onto his head.

Her chest was rising and falling swiftly, and she was sweaty and flushed. Right there, on the marble floor of his ancestral house, spread-eagled and unconscious, lied Sirius Black. And she had to admit he was more handsome than ever. His hair wasn't tangled and greasy, like it was in the photograph; it was soft and shorter, it barely reached his back now. He had a five-o-clock shadow which made him look rough and manly. His skin had a healthier look to it and he seemed like he gained some weight. Pig, she thought. Probably sitting around doing nothing all day and stuffing his face.

Anger slowly crept into her mind and she raised her wand. How could he? How could he go and destroy the lives of all the people who surounded him? Who cared about him the most? James and Lily would have died fo him. And little Harry... Her eyes welled up with tears as she remembered little Harry. Growing up without parents, without anyone to confide in... God knows what he had to go through. The last thing she heard from Dumbledore was that Harry was adopted by Petunia and her swine of a husband. Still, she was pretty sure he started Hogwarts four years ago, and hopefully it became his real home.

She felt a strong urge to kick Sirius, but instead she muttered a spell and ropes shot out of her wand, tying him up. With another flick of her wand she made sure the ropes were nice and tight and she levitated him to the kitchen, which was, she noticed, surprisingly clean.

Her hand found a pack of cigarettes in her purse, and she lit one up. Inhaling the smoke sharply, her eyes landed on Sirius who started to squirm in his chair. He was regaining his consciousness.

...

His head hurt and he didn't remember where he was. Probably in a drunken stupor, his brain whispered to him and he tried to open his eyes. Everything was blurry, but he was pretty sure that the figure before him was female. Nice one, Sirius, he silently congratulated himself, before coming back to his senses.

„You killed my friends, you son of a bitch. You destroyed my life. You destroyed Harry's life." Her voice was cold and sharp and her eyes burned with something that Sirius couldn't quite grasp. His cheek burned as she slapped him hard on the face. Hate. Her eyes burned with pure, undiluted hate, and he bit on his lip as he watched the love of his life unleash her anger at him.

Perfectly glossed lips were shouting swears and he had to admit that she never looked more beautiful, with her hair much shorter than it used to be and her frame a bit thinner. Purple was very flattering to her figure as he remembered all the nights he spent wrapped around her body, making love to her... But now, this woman couldn't be reasoned with. She wanted revenge.

„I didn't kill them! Please let me explain. Harry..." His voice was hoarse and his head pounding, but she refused to listen.

„How dare you say Harry's name_**!**__ Crucio!" _ She lost control.

It was her first attempt on an Unforgivable, but her rage was strong enough to really cause pain for Sirius, even if it was just for a second. He felt his skin burn in an unimaginable ache and his muscles tear, but it subsided as soon as it started.

„Kimberly... It was Pettigrew." He was breathing heavily. The Cruciatus curse really caught him unprepared. He didn't believe she had it in her, but when he looked her in the eyes again, he realized it wasn't his Kimberly anymore. This woman was beaten, tortured and broken, and she no longer belonged to him.

He could see that she didn't believe a word he was saying, but a spark of doubt appeared in her eyes, and he hoped against hope that she would at least listen to what he had to say.

„He was the Secret Keeper. But it was all my fault. I suggested him. I believed no one would go after innocent, little Peter. And he was working for You-Know-Who all along. He blew up those Muggles and left a finger so he could frame me! And where were you while I was locked up? You were fucking Lupin! You abandoned me, Kimberly. When I needed you the most." His voice broke as he watched tears stream down her face.

„Liar!" Her whole body was shaking as she pointed her wand at his chest. It was too much information and she felt her head spinning with questions. Could it be that he was telling the truth? She took a step back from him.

„Fuck you." He spat. His brain kept replaying images of the woman he loved riding his best friend while he was rotting away in the worst place anyone could imagine. His words were like poison to her, and she lowered her wand in defeat.

„And that's why you abducted me? To tell me you know I fucked Remus? It was a one time thing! And you were dead to me. You still are." She screamed at him as he squirmed against the ropes, trying to free himself. It was in vain, though. The ropes were so tight that his fingers were starting to turn blue.

„I needed to talk to you before you become some Muggle's junkie whore!" Sirius shouted at her as she slumped into the closest chair and brought a hand to her forehead. He knew about heroin too.

„You are not going to tell me what to do with my life, Sirius. Even if you are telling the truth, and I highly doubt that, you still mean nothing to me."

„Ask you boyfriend Remus then. Ask Harry." Bitterness was evident in his voice and she sighed. She started to believe him, and she didn't like it at all.

Her expression mellowed as she heard Harry's name. Last time she saw him, he was just a baby.

„_Expecto Patronum." _With a flick of her wrist, a silver fox appeared and she ordered it to deliver a message to Remus Lupin.

„We'll see now." She took another cigarette from her puse and lighted it with her wand.

Sirius watched her smoke longingly as the smell of burning tobacco filled his nostrils. He hasn't smoked in such a long time. Actually, he recollected, the last cigarette he smoked was with her.

Surprisingly enough, as she smoked, she felt her anger for him subside, and it was immediately replaced by guilt. If he was telling the truth, that meant that an innocent man spent 12 years in Azkaban, surrounded by Dementors and maddening prisoners, while she did drugs and slept with his best friend. Well, his best friend wasn't the only one. Even in her head, it sounded terrible. There was no denying her pain, though. She lost her friends, family, husband to be, everything in less than a month. And she felt that it kind of justified her behaviour. Remus wasn't the only one, it was actually far from it. She couldn't count how many men she had in the last 15 years, and now her consciousness started gnawing at her, because Sirius was the only man she ever loved.

Could everything have turned out differently if she just went and paid him a visit as soon as he was incarcerated? Possibly. But she drowned her sorrows in alcohol and drugs instead.

„I can't feel my fingers anymore, Kim. Please loosen the ropes." His voice snapped her back to reality and she bedgrudginly loosened his ties, feeling an urge to burn him with her cigarette. She still couldn't help but feel betrayed, like it was all his fault.

Within a distinct popping sound, Remus apparated in the lobby.

**Author's note: Review, ****favorite****, follow. I love you my dear readers. **


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